JBU Utilizes Teagle Grant Funds for Faculty Summer Institute

Siloam Springs, Ark (July 6, 2001) - 26 John Brown University faculty recently participated in summer institutes funded by a grant from The Teagle foundation, Inc. Teagle Fellows, JBU faculty members chosen for their excellence in scholarship and teaching, serve as presenters and facilitators in the workshops and work with faculty members throughout the year. Institute workshops address such issues as “Integration of Faith and Learning” and “Teaching Skills.” Often, faculty members receive excellent graduate school education in their fields of expertise. But rarely is equal emphasis placed on helping them become excellent teachers. The summer institutes aim to fill that gap.

Doyle Butts, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and director of the Teagle workshops at JBU, said that using internal sources as presenters and facilitators was beneficial because they understood JBU and were familiar with the faculty participants.

“When we bring faculty together and give them an opportunity to interact, we have a sure-fire formula for success,” said Butts. “It fosters a sense of community, which is one of the greatest assets of the program.”

Last year, JBU received $322,000 from the Teagle Foundation to fund faculty development programs for three years. The grant pays the expenses for the institute presenters and provides a stipend for participating faculty.

Faculty attend two-week long intensive Summer Institutes for three years in a row on their way to receiving JBU’s “Master Teacher” designation. One cohort group is in their second year, and a new cohort group formed this year to begin the three-year program. The goal is to reach every JBU faculty member.

“We’ve had many people comment that this is the best thing that has happened in faculty development in a long time,” said Butts.

The Teagle Foundation funds programs to strengthen private education and places primary emphasis on small liberal arts universities and colleges.

John Brown University is a private Christian university and a member of the Arkansas Independent Colleges and Universities, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the Council of Independent Colleges.